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The annual release of the Top 101 prospects is a culmination of sorts. Months of discussion and writing and phone calls and gchats and “what the hell do we do with this guy?” email threads ultimately crescendo in a list—an oddly succinct final product for such a subjective and exhaustive labor.
Before he helped build the Astros into a World Series winner, our former prospect guru Kevin Goldstein referred to these lists as a “snapshot in time.” That holds true: the list would have looked different had we written it in August and would doubtlessly change if we circled the wagons again in April.
But more than that, the 101 reflects a series of choices, often from questions with no easy answers. How can one definitively separate an unknown quantity like Victor Victor Mesa from a battle-tested big-league backstop like Danny Jansen? Would you rather have Nate Pearson‘s practically unprecedented physical gifts or Mike Soroka‘s safer blend of competence and proximity?
A list must answer these questions without presenting the nuances that ultimately shaped the final product. Rest assured, there was plenty of passionate discussion this year, as there is every fall and winter. Each player on this list settled where they did only after considerable debate. Well, perhaps not the first guy; that part was pretty easy.
I should mention that, while the list itself is a difficult project, it’s also an exciting one. This isn’t science homework, after all; we’re ranking and talking about baseball players! If you’d like to hear even more about these players, Jeff is holding a chat later today, and he and Jarrett recorded a 101-specific podcast for your listening pleasure:
In the mean time, pull up a chair and grab a drink. Let’s have some fun.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
- Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels
- Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, San Diego Padres
- Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago White Sox
- Victor Robles, OF, Washington Nationals
- Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
- Forrest Whitley, RHP, Houston Astros
- Royce Lewis, SS, Minnesota Twins
- Nick Senzel, 3B/2B/SS?/OF?, Cincinnati Reds
- Wander Franco, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
- Taylor Trammell, OF, Cincinnati Reds
- Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
- Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics
- Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros
- Nick Madrigal, 2B/SS, Chicago White Sox
- Carter Kieboom, SS, Washington Nationals
- Luis Urias, 2B, San Diego Padres
- Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Francisco Mejia, C, San Diego Padres
- Alex Reyes, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
- Brendan Rodgers, SS, Colorado Rockies
- Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
- Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox
- Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
- Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox
- Dustin May, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
- MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres
- Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves
- Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves
- Keibert Ruiz, C, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Jesus Sanchez, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
- Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Minnesota Twins
- Nolan Gorman, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
- Jonathan India, 3B/SS, Cincinnati Reds
- Casey Mize, RHP, Detroit Tigers
- Chris Paddack, RHP, San Diego Padres
- Andres Gimenez, SS, New York Mets
- Alex Kirilloff, OF, Minnesota Twins
- Peter Alonso, 1B, New York Mets
- Joey Bart, C, San Francisco Giants
- Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
- Triston McKenzie, RHP, Cleveland Indians
- Yusniel Diaz, OF, Baltimore Orioles
- Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox
- Josh James, RHP, Houston Astros
- Leody Taveras, OF, Texas Rangers
- Bubba Thompson, OF, Texas Rangers
- Yordan Alvarez, 1B/OF, Houston Astros
- Justus Sheffield, LHP, Seattle Mariners
- Ryan Mountcastle, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
- Seuly Matias, OF, Kansas City Royals
- Mike Soroka, RHP, Atlanta Braves
- Nate Pearson, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
- Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Griffin Canning, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
- Adonis Medina, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
- Kyle Wright, RHP, Atlanta Braves
- Will Smith, C/IF, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Bryse Wilson, RHP, Atlanta Braves
- Khalil Lee, OF, Kansas City Royals
- Cristian Pache, OF, Atlanta Braves
- Jarred Kelenic, OF, Seattle Mariners
- Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP, New York Yankees
- Drew Waters, OF, Atlanta Braves
- Estevan Florial, OF, New York Yankees
- MJ Melendez, C, Kansas City Royals
- Jahmai Jones, 2B, Los Angeles Angels
- Jazz Chisholm, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Touki Toussaint, RHP, Atlanta Braves
- Victor Victor Mesa, OF, Miami Marlins
- Adrian Morejon, LHP, San Diego Padres
- Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins
- Luis Patino, RHP, San Diego Padres
- Hunter Greene, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
- Dane Dunning, RHP, Chicago White Sox
- A.J. Puk, LHP, Oakland Athletics
- Julio Pablo Martinez, OF, Texas Rangers
- Lucius Fox, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
- J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, Houston Astros
- Luis Garcia, SS/3B, Washington Nationals
- Travis Swaggerty, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Anderson Tejeda, SS, Texas Rangers
- Logan Allen, LHP, San Diego Padres
- Michel Baez, RHP, San Diego Padres
- Nico Hoerner, SS, Chicago Cubs
- Heliot Ramos, OF, San Francisco Giants
- Shane Baz, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
- Danny Jansen, C, Toronto Blue Jays
- Jon Duplantier, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Oneil Cruz, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
- DL Hall, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
- Luis Oviedo, RHP, Cleveland Indians
- Brandon Marsh, OF, Los Angeles Angels
- Sean Murphy, C, Oakland Athletics
- Vidal Brujan, 2B, Tampa Bay Rays
- Calvin Mitchell, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Garrett Hampson, 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies
- Jordyn Adams, OF, Los Angeles Angels
- Kristian Robinson, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Kyler Murray, OF, Oakland Athletics
Thank you for reading
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Are you on the take or do you just hate my favorite team?
e.g. is Tyler O'neill not on the list because he's got too much service time, doesn't make the grade, both, either, other?
I love the content, have been a subscriber for years, but I find myself visiting the site less and less, simply because there seems to be no coherent organization of the home page, and it's too hard to find what I want to read. This isn't hard!
It seems that by and large there is a fairly consistent adherence numerically downward on the 101, with a few exceptions, and relatively minor (Alex Reyes and Dustin May as 70/60 mixed among the 70/55s, Brandon McKay at 60/50 above a couple of 60/55s). otherwise the grades are largely in order.
But 2 stick out - Jesus Sanchez at 60/50 and #32 well above others with same (in mid 40's), and Garrett Hampson, the only 55 FV (55/50) in the top 101 with about 20 60/50s that are on the Just missed or beyond list. I'm sure the reason is related to a bigger group in on the 101 decisions, but just curious. Not insisting on strict consistency of course.